The Wheelock Family of Eden and Cambridge, in Lamoille County, Vermont Compiled by Roderick B. Sullivan, Jr Northborough, MA Jan 2003 Created by www.AncestralAuthor.com 2 www.WheelockGenealogy.com 3 Introduction The Wheelock Family of Eden and Cambridge has left few direct clues about their ancestry. The clues that exist are indirect and sometimes contradictory. Nonetheless, a reasonably clear picture can be constructed from the bits and pieces of evidence found in the historical record. Lucy Wheelock, founder of Wheelock College in Boston, descends from the Eden and Cambridge Wheelocks, which makes this line all the more interesting. Marcus Warren Waite, in his book "The Wheelock Family of Calais, VT" identifies the Eden Wheelocks as descendants of Gershom Wheelock, son of Ralph; yet says nothing further about them. Walter Toby Wheelock, in his book "The Wheelock Family in America, 1637-1969" goes a bit farther and makes note that Stephen Wheelock and Lucretia Newton were in Hubbardston, Massachusetts in 1781 "and they (or son) later moved to Eden, VT"; but nothing further is said, no supportive evidence is offered, and the line is not followed past their children. But the statement points us in the right direction. The next clue involves their daughter, Tabitha. The census shows Stephen Wheelock in Hubbardston in 1790, then in Cheshire County, NH in 1800. The Keene, Chesire Co, NH vital records give the birth of Tabitha Wheelock as 21 Sep 1788, Eden, VT; while the Hubbardston vital records give a date exactly one year off, 21 Sep 1787, daughter of Stephen and Lucretia. Is this the same person? The presence of Stephen and Lucretia in Cheshire County is confirmed by deeds; and NH vital records show several of their children married there. So perhaps the Keene Tabitha is their daughter, and the Eden reference, though probably incorrect, ties the family somehow to Eden. Perhaps they lived there for a time before Tabitha was married. The first Wheelocks to appear in the Eden area are Walter, Martin, Daniel, and Samuel, who are placed there as early as 1810 by census, probate, and land records. Of these four, Walter is the only one whose ancestry can be directly proven from the vital records. The birth date given by his Eden death record matches the birth date of Walter, son of Stephen and Lucretia, as recorded in Hubbardston, MA. Furthermore, his death record states that he was born in Hubbardston, MA; so it is certain that Walter is indeed the son of Stephen and Lucretia. The evidence for Martin is not as compelling; but nevertheless, it seems reasonbly certain that Martin was also the son of Stephen and Lucretia. His approximate age at death matches the Hubbardston birth record for Martin, son of Stephen and Lucretia. Martin and Walter engaged in land transactions together, so it is plausible they were brothers. And the evidence for the other two brothers is weaker yet. No Massachusetts or New Hampshire birth records have been found for Daniel or Samuel; however, both have births recorded in Vermont. Daniel's birth record identifies him as the son of Walter (sic) and Lucretia, and indicates that he was born in Keene, NH. The record probably has the father incorrect, confusing Walter (who had been prominent in Eden and Cambridge) with Stephen. Daniel named one of his sons Stephen, and his birth www.WheelockGenealogy.com 4 Introduction date fits well into the pattern of births for Lucretia (Newton) Wheelock. Based on this, we conclude that he is the brother of Walter and Martin. Samuel's birth record gives no indication of parentage or place of birth. Though his birth date also fits well into the pattern of births for Lucretia, the possibility exists that he is a cousin or more distantly related. Samuel is the grandfather of Lucy Wheelock, founder of Wheelock college in Boston; so it is particularly frustrating that no solid evidence exists to tie him into this family. However, in a delightful twist of irony, it turns out that Lucy Wheelock is tied into the family as the g-granddaughter of Walter Wheelock through her maternal grandmother, Lucy J. Wheelock. Specific source citations for all the material summarized above can be found in the genealogical reports that follow. www.WheelockGenealogy.com 5 Reverend Ralph Wheelock, Immigrant Ancestor 1. Ralph Wheelock, b. 14 May 1600, at Dorrington, Shropshire, England, d. 11 Jan 1683/84, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 Married Rebecca Clarke 17 May 1630, at Wramplingham, Norfolk, England.2 She was the daughter of Thomas Clarke and Mary Canne. Rebecca Clarke was b. about 1610, bapt. 26 Aug 1610,2 d. 1 Jan 1680/81, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 Children by Rebecca Clarke: i. Mary Wheelock, bapt. 2 Sep 1631, at Banham, Norfolk, England.2 Married Joseph Miles 28 Jan 1662/63, at Medfield, MA.1 2 ii. Gershom Wheelock, bapt. 3 Jan 1632/33, at Eccles, Norfolk, England,3 d. 28 Nov 1684, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 iii. Rebecca Wheelock, bapt. 24 Aug 1634, at Eccles, Norfolk, England,3 d. Nov 1667, at Roxbury, Suffolk, MA.4 Married John Crafts 7 June 1654, at Roxbury, Suffolk, MA.4 iv. Peregrina Wheelock, d. 1 Apr 1671, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 Married John Warfield 26 Oct 1669, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 v. Benjamin Wheelock, b. 8 Jan 1639/40, at Dedham, Suffolk, MA,5 bapt. 12 Feb 1639/40, at Dedham, Suffolk, MA,5 d. about 1720, at Mendon, Worcester, MA. Married (1) Elizabeth Bullen 21 May 1668, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 Married (2) Elizabeth French 1692, at Mendon, Worcester, MA.6 vi. Samuel Wheelock, b. 22 Sep 1642, at Dedham, Suffolk, MA,5 d. 23 Oct 1698, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 Married Sarah Kendricke 3 Apr 1678, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 vii. Record Wheelock, b. 15 Dec 1644, at Dedham, Suffolk, MA,5 d. 26 July 1726.7 Married Increase Ward 3 Oct 1672, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 viii. Experience Wheelock, b. about 1648, bapt. 3 Sep 1648, at Dedham, Suffolk, MA,5 d. 27 Feb 1710, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 Married Joseph Warren 21 May 1668, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 ix. Eleazar Wheelock, b. 3 May 1654, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA,1 d. 24 Mar 1730/31, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA,1 bur. at Vine Lake Cemetery, Medfield, MA.8 Married (1) Elizabeth Fuller 17 Apr 1678, at Rehoboth, Bristol, MA.9 Married (2) Mary Chenery. 2. Gershom Wheelock (Ralph), bapt. 3 Jan 1632/33, at Eccles, Norfolk, England,3 d. 28 Nov 1684, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 Married Hannah Stodder 18 May 1658, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 Hannah Stodder was b. about 1638, at England. www.WheelockGenealogy.com 6 Reverend Ralph Wheelock, Immigrant Ancestor Children by Hannah Stodder: i. Hannah Wheelock, b. 25 June 1659, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA,1 d. 10 July 1659, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 ii. Samuel Wheelock, b. 14 Jan 1660/61, at Medfield, MA,1 d. 22 Jan 1660/61, at Medfield, MA.1 iii. Hannah Wheelock, b. 26 Jan 1661/62, at Medfield, MA.1 3 iv. Samuel Wheelock, b. 21 Jan 1664/65, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA,1 d. 8 Apr 1756, at Shrewsbury, Worcester, MA.10 v. John Wheelock, b. 18 Dec 1670, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA,1 d. 15 June 1684, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA.1 vi. Joseph Wheelock, b. 1672, at Medfield, MA,11 d. 19 July 1752, at Lancaster, Worcester, MA.12 Married Elizabeth _____. vii. Timothy Wheelock, b. 1673,13 d. 2 Jan 1761, at Medway, Norfolk, MA.14 3. Samuel Wheelock (Gershom, Ralph), b. 21 Jan 1664/65, at Medfield, Norfolk, MA,1 d. 8 Apr 1756, at Shrewsbury, Worcester, MA.10 Married Lydia Rice about 1692.15 Lydia Rice was b. 4 June 1668, at Sudbury, Middlesex, MA.16 Children by Lydia Rice: i. Gershom Wheelock, b. 1693/94, at Marlborough, MA,10 d. 16 Mar 1770, at Shrewsbury, MA.10 Married (1) Abigail Flagg 1 Jan 1718/19, at Sudbury, MA.16 Married (2) Elizabeth Taylor 19 May 1764, at Shrewsbury, Worcester, MA.10 ii. Lydia Wheelock Married Richard Ward 1 Jan 1718/19, at Sudbury, MA.16 4 iii. Samuel Wheelock, b. 14 May 1696, at Marlborough, Middlesex Co, MA,17 d. about 1756, at Shrewsbury, Worcester Co, MA.18 iv. Martha Wheelock, b. 13 Apr 1698, at Marlborough, Middlesex Co, MA.17 Married Ephraim Pratt 9 July 1724, at Shrewsbury, Worcester, MA.19 v. Elizabeth Wheelock, b. 10 Apr 1700, at Marlborough, Middlesex Co, MA.17 Married Israel Allen 14 Feb 1727/28, at Shrewsbury, Worcester, MA.19 vi. Hannah Wheelock, b. 23 Jan 1701, at Marlborough, Middlesex Co, MA.17 vii. Tamar Wheelock, b. 2 Mar 1703/4, at Marlborough, Middlesex Co., MA.17 Married Ebenezer Keyes 13 July 1725, at Shrewsbury, Worcester, MA.19 viii. Mary Wheelock, b. 5 June 1705, at Marlborough, Middlesex Co, MA.17 Married Eli Keyes 28 Oct 1734, at Shrewsbury, Worcester, MA.19 ix. Daniel Wheelock, b. 10 Aug 1708, at Marlborough, Middlesex Co, MA,17 d. about 1756, at Shrewsbury, Worcester Co, MA.20 x. Lois Wheelock, b. 25 Dec 1710, at Marlborough, Middlesex Co, MA,17 d. 1799.15 Married Cyrus Wheeler 1 May 1746, at Shrewsbury, Worcester, MA.19 xi. Rachel Wheelock, b. 26 Nov 1714, at Marlborough, Middlesex Co, MA.17 Married Daniel Willard 2 Mar 1742/43, at Shrewsbury, Worcester, MA.19 www.WheelockGenealogy.com Reverend Ralph Wheelock, Immigrant Ancestor 7 4. Samuel Wheelock (Samuel, Gershom, Ralph), b. 14 May 1696, at Marlborough, Middlesex Co, MA,17 d.